Category: Travel News

Officials in the Parliament of India have just revealed that travelers can visit the Northeastern states of Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland without a permit. This new policy will hopefully make it more enticing for travelers to visit this naturally beautiful and culturally rich area of the Asian nation.

Restrictions on visiting these Northeastern regions began during the British colonial period. Foreigners weren’t allowed to travel at all here during this time due to fears over war with neighboring countries.

Although people have been able to visit the Northeast in the past few decades, it was a tiring process that required a ton of paperwork. Interested tourists had to be either married to someone from the areas or go with an official tour group. It wasn’t uncommon for permits to take months to get processed in New Delhi.

There are, however, a few restrictions the Indian government still has on visiting the Northeast. For instance, officials still won’t allow people into areas like Arunachal Pradesh or any other area it believes is unsafe.

Many of the people who live in these three Northeastern states live in tribal communities atop the area’s hills. Travel experts have dubbed this region the “Switzerland of India” due to all of its natural grandeur. Some of the key tourist spots in these newly opened states include the Keibul Lamjao National Park, Neermahal Palace, and the Sumi Baptist Church.

In total, India is composed of 29 states, seven of which are in the Northeastern region. All of these states have borders with nations like Myanmar, Bhutan, China, and Bangladesh.

Kim Dao is one of the most famous Australian travel vloggers on YouTube. Although Kim has traveled to many countries in Asia, Oceania, and Europe, her most popular videos have to do with Japan. One of Kim’s latest vlogs takes interested tourists to one of Tokyo’s hottest new Pokémon-themed cafés.

Anyone who knows about Kim Dao knows that she’s obsessed with all things Pokémon. So, it’s understandable that Kim Dao is super excited to share her experience at this new café with her subscribers at the start of her vlog.

Before she gets to enjoy food at this new café, however, Kim Dao says she has to do filming and editing work at the Tokyo Creative studio in Shibuya. When she gets to Shibuya Crossing, Kim shows us all the crowds of people passing by at this famous landmark.

After a hard day’s work, it’s finally time for Kim Dao to visit the new Pokémon café with friends. She first decides to order the carbonara for ¥1,480. She also orders a fruit ice cream parfait dessert that has a Pikachu theme.

While she’s eating her Pokémon-inspired food, Kim Dao spots a giant Pikachu dancing around the store. This cute Pikachu is wearing an adorable chef’s outfit.

At the end of the vlog, Kim Dao highly recommends anyone visiting Tokyo visit the Pokémon Café. Although it’s a bit expensive, Kim believes the quality of the food and service merits the price. Tourists can easily find this café nearby the Pokémon Center in Nihonbashi.

As leisure travel to and from China is on the upswing, airlines are striking while the iron is hot. Government-owned and operated China Southern is offering a special introductory fare on its premium economy seats in an effort to encourage travel from London to the central Chinese city of Wuhan. The special fares offer the premium seats for the same price as economy. Offered just three times per week, this route will exclusively use Airbus A330 aircraft.

China Southern is seeking to capitalize on the boom in Chinese travel while also enticing visitors to check out the city of Wuhan. The airline is additionally offering great deals to the Chinese city of Guangzhou and beyond to international destinations such as Auckland, Sydney, and Bangkok. Nick Newman, the commercial manager at the UK division of China Southern said that the airline is in an introductory phase attempting to convince travelers to choose travel to China over other destinations. The hook is the premium seats at economy prices.

Comparing prices in the coming months demonstrates the airline’s commitment to this strategy. When examing routes to Sydney from London, China Southern boasted the lowest fares of any airline, often at hundreds of pounds cheaper than its competitors. One of the chief initiatives is to promote travel from Europe to Australia by way of China.

As a partner in the SkyTeam Alliance, China Southern is a relatively new airline, founded in 1998 as part of the country’s realignment of its state-owned airlines.

Japan probably does not strike you as being a very interesting place to travel to as a tourist. The modern industrial complex of the country and the fact that much of the traditional rural areas are devoid of life makes the cost of the trip not especially appealing to those not accustomed to what is available. Surprisingly, as mentioned in an article from Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/anismuslimin/2018/04/04/japans-richest-2018-tourism-takeover/#e4a95f8554a1), Japan is actually seeing a massive increase in tourism lately, to a degree that it may be able to significantly boost the economy of the country and move it into a new period of national prosperity.

The main sights of Japan to see are the traditional architecture and culture that the country still provides. Japan itself is a vibrant combination of new and old, which is unique to the country as it was forced to modernize from a feudal society of sword wielding warriors into one that used railroads and muskets within a time span of roughly twenty years. This unique perspective makes the cultural landscape, mannerisms of the Japanese people, and tourist locations especially interesting to tourists from the West.

One of the most popular sights to visit in Japan is the old capital city of Kyoto. Kyoto at one point in time was the seat of the Emperor and had been for hundreds of years. The city to this day represents this rich historical background with its elaborate Buddhist and Shinto temples. Japan is quickly becoming the place to go for Western tourists.

A recent announcement from the General Entertainment Authority, the government entertainment agency highlights steps Saudi Arabia is taking to merge with Hollywood culture.

The General Entertainment Authority shared that it is finalizing deals with Cirque du Soleil and AMC Theaters. This aligns with efforts by the Crown Prince to reform the image of Saudi Arabia, a top oil producing nation. These partnerships, along with other new relationships with festival promotion company IMG Artists, touring company Feld Entertainment, and National Geographic Encounter highlight the potential of Saudi Arabia as an investment opportunity and signals change in the culture. Plans to open cinemas by 2030 show the focus on attempts to modernize the culture and add diversity to the economy.

Cirque du Soleil will premier its first show in September to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s National Day. Saudi Arabia is, geographically, the fifth largest state in Asia, with over 28 million people. Currently, the economy is one of the least diversified, relying heavily on extraction of oil resources. Travel to Saudi Arabia has been difficult. Islamic law is strictly enforced and regulations prohibit the public practice of any form of religion other than Islam. Crimes such as adultery, possession of alcohol/drugs, and homosexual acts can be punishable by death. If you follow the customs and rules, it can be an intriguing and unforgettable trip. With adventures and history, it will broaden your travel experiences. These new cultural items, including movies and shows, will continue to work to increase tourism to the country.

Anyone who’s dreamed of traveling to Japan has probably run across YouTuber Kim Dao’s videos online. Over the past few years, this Australian vlogger has produced some of the most viewed vlogs dealing with Japanese travel, culture, and fashion.

In one of her latest videos, Kim takes viewers on a three-day trip around the popular city Osaka. She also spends some time in this vlog touring the nearby historic city Nara. First-time travelers to Japan can’t afford to miss the travel information Kim shares in this recent vlog.

First off, Kim gives her viewers details on visiting one of Osaka’s major sites: Osaka Castle. It costs Kim ¥600 to get inside this majestic castle built way back in 1583 AD. When she reaches the top of the castle, Kim Dao shows us incredible panoramic views of Downtown Osaka.

After taking in the views, Kim Dao walks inside to learn more about the castle’s long history. Originally built for the leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Osaka Castle faced many challenges throughout its long life including lightning storms and invasions. The version of the castle standing today was completed in 1997.

Once she’s done learning her Japanese history, Kim takes a train to the Namba region of Osaka. She then takes us to Shinsaibashi, one of the most popular shopping streets in the city.

When she reaches Dōtombori, Kim Dao takes a picture by the famous Glico man advertisement and encourages all tourists to do the same. Since there’s so much to do in Dōtombori, Kim recommends every traveler schedule at least a few hours to check out all the nightlife, restaurants, and shops in the area.

To find out more about Kim’s tips for traveling to Osaka or Nara, be sure to check out her official YouTube page.

Long gone are the days of using a physical key to get into your hotel room…especially at Walt Disney World’s hotels. Believe it or not, guests staying at Walt Disney World resorts will soon be able to use mobile phones to open their hotel room’s doors.

Today, people who stay at Disney resorts have to use MagicBands – electronic wristbands that store every guest’s travel data – to get into their rooms. MagicBands not only allow guests to enter their rooms, they can also be used to get into Disney’s theme parks, pay for food & merchandise, and use FastPasses.

Disney will first test this new mobile-key program at the Wilderness Lodge resort near the Magic Kingdom. Once they’ve got all the kinks worked out of the system, Disney employees will begin offering this feature at all of its other resorts.

In addition to unlocking hotel rooms, Disney executives want to extend this digital key service into other areas of their hotels. Eventually, guests will be able to use their phones to get into exclusive areas like resort pools and special lounges.

Even though customers can’t use their phones to get into their rooms just yet, Disney already released a new service that allows guests to check in to their hotel online. Once the room is ready, Disney employees send out a text message to let guests know they can enter their room with their MagicBands.

There’s no word yet whether Disney is planning on introducing this phone-key feature to its other theme parks or cruise line.

With Tokyo’s cherry blossom season in full bloom, beauty & travel vlogger Kim Dao decided to record a helpful video for any first-time travelers to Japan’s capital city. In her video “100 Things to do in TOKYO, JAPAN | Japan Travel Guide,” Kim recommends 100 of her all-time favorite attractions in Tokyo every visitor should add to his/her bucket list. Below, we’ll go through Kim’s top three suggestions for anyone traveling to Tokyo.

First on Kim Dao’s itinerary is to explore Shinjuku Station. Not only is Shinjuku Station the busiest train station in Tokyo, it’s one of the busiest and largest in the world. Kim Dao advises everyone to just “get lost” in this massive station and enjoy all the world-class shops and restaurants.

The second suggestion in Kim’s guide video is to take a trip up to the top of Tokyo’s Government Building for a superb panoramic view of the city. Since it’s free to take a ride to the top of these towers, it’s recommended you visit the Government Building as early as possible to avoid long lines.

Third, Kim Dao recommends taking a stroll through the alleyways of Omoide Yokocho to get a feel for “olden times” in Japan. She also says this is an exceptional place to order authentic Japanese cuisine at tiny food stands.

Anyone interested in hearing Kim Dao’s other 97 things to do in Tokyo can see this full video on her main YouTube page right here: https://www.youtube.com/user/kimdao.

By the way, Tokyo’s cherry blossoms officially opened on March 17th and reached full bloom around March 25th. While the petals have started to fall in Tokyo, there are still many other cities either at peak or close to full bloom across the Land of the Rising Sun. People visiting Japan in mid to late April should head to cities like Sendai, Fukushima, and the Sapporo to see cherry blossoms in full bloom.

The UK government just released a surprising list of cultural taboos around the world in preparation for spring break. Although the authors of this new report were targeting younger people, the advice could help anyone going on an international vacation. Below, we’ll share some of the most shocking lesser-known taboos at the world’s top tourist draws.

First, many over-the-counter medications in the West are banned in Japan. Believe it or not, if you bring a bottle of Vicks VapoRub or codeine hydrochloride into the “Land of the Rising Sun” you could be deported.

Continuing on into another Asian nation, the Thai government has strict laws against e-cigarettes. Any traveler caught using a vaping device could face a steep fine.

Just like in Thailand, Buddhism plays a central role in Sri Lanka’s culture. Sri Lankans take their religion so seriously that they won’t let you into their country if you have a Buddhist tattoo. Also, you could be deported from Sri Lanka for taking a selfie in front of sacred Buddhist monuments.

Moving on in our list to the Caribbean, travelers of all ages cannot legally wear camouflaged clothing. The most popular islands that enforce this law include Barbados and St. Lucia.

Anyone who wants to overcome a bad cussing habit should visit the United Arab Eremites (UAE) in the near future. Citizens and visitors to the UAE could be thrown in prison if they swear online or in public.

Similar to the UAE, Greece doesn’t take kindly to indecent public behavior. You can be jailed in Greece for dropping your drawers in public, even if it was done as a joke.

Virgin Atlantic is jumping on the bandwagon of the latest trend in air travel. The airline announced on Wednesday that it is rolling out three new branded economy fares in an effort to entice bargain travelers. The new fares will launch this spring and are intended to align more closely with global partner Delta Airline’s class of economy fares.

The most basic of the three fares is the Economy Light version. Travelers booked in this class will need to pay extra for any checked luggage and will not be assigned their seat until checking in at the airport. The next step up in the fare ladder is the Economy Classic level. These passengers will be allowed one free checked bag and will be able to choose their seat when the ticket is purchased. The most premium level in the economy class offerings is the Economy Delight. In addition to the complimentary baggage allowance and advanced seat assignment benefits offered by Economy Classic, travelers booked with an Economy Delight ticket will enjoy three more inches of legroom and priority check-in.

All economy passengers can still expect to receive the same level of exemplary service provided by Virgin Atlantic. Complimentary food and drink will be offered to all travelers, regardless of the fare that was originally purchased. In addition to the new fare structure, Virgin Atlantic also announced that they will be adding Wi-Fi and charging outlets for each seat.